Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry did not like the way their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., was officiated, especially in the fourth quarter.
But no one showed more bitterness toward the officiating than Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who was tossed after losng his cool with the refs.
Kerr was enraged by what he—and many others—felt was a missed goaltending call on Clippers forward John Collins during a crucial stretch in the final period, and assistants had to hold him back before he was ejected.
On an earlier play, Curry’s floater didn’t earn a continuation, as Collins’ foul was ruled non-shooting.
Curry believed those decisions affected the flow of the game against the Warriors’ favor.
“Two crazy calls in a row that you feel like can dictate the momentum of a game,” Curry said after the contest, via Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player also gave Kerr his flowers for standing up for the team.
“Doesn’t mean a win or a loss, it just dictates the momentum. I love that fired-up Steve for sure. Somebody had to do it tonight.”
Curry has been in the league long enough to understand how momentum shifts in key moments can decide a game, and Monday’s showdown against Los Angeles was another example that unfortunately came at the Warriors’ expense.
Golden State trailed the Clippers by 12 points at the start of the fourth quarter, but made a spirited comeback bid that threatened Los Angeles. Ultimately, the Clippers avoided a complete collapse as they came away with a 103-102 victory.
